Love and Stress
by AkaneKaminga
Summary: Kagome's life is filled with stress. From having to defeat Naraku, to jewel hunting, to school. But she had something else to add to the list ....


Kagome felt her body wrack with sobs. Why couldn't anybody see the silent pain she was going through? As if school wasn't stressful enough, she had her so-called friends on her back about Hojo, the quest for the sacred jewel, defeat of Naraku, fighting demons, and then most importantly …. Inuyasha.

Where could she even begin with him?

Yea, she loved him. It was sad that even himself can't see it, but the rest of the world could. He was so dense, but still … it was Inuyasha.

She couldn't describe him any other way.

He was just …. Inuyasha. He was him and nobody else but him.

He was …. The man she fell in love with …

Kagome just sat on the rugged forest floor and let herself cry. She wanted someone to see all this going on, see it and just comfort her, understand her. Kagome had felt that if she just told someone, it would be a huge cry for attention, and that was the last thing she wanted. As a quote from one of her favorite authors, she just wanted someone to know the story and hear it and understand it, because that is what made any story in the world real. Just knowing that someone can hear it and understand it.

But there was the problem.

Nobody saw her pain.

She did so well by hiding it with that fake smile. The one that put a mask on you and showed the world you were okay, you were happy.

But Kagome was anything but.

She hated to admit it, but the pressure and stress of everything began to get to her. Everything worried her. But when she really thought about the things that she believed were stressing her out, she paused and took a moment to think.

Is it really all that? Something inside her mind told her that just the world in general was getting to her, or maybe that she was going crazy.

Her heart, however, told her that maybe it wasn't all of those things causing her pain.

Maybe it was just one.

Maybe it was just Inuyasha …

Inuyasha and his indecision for her and Kikyou.

The thought of just Kikyou and Inuyasha made her want to cry more. Kagome understood love, and she knew it well.

But she was still lost in the thought of what Inuyasha still loved about Kikyou.

It seemed that Kagome was the only one who really saw Kikyou for who she really is now. She's just not the same Kikyou. Just as she could not explain Inuyasha, she couldn't explain Kikyou either.

They were just them.

And maybe that's what makes them so perfect for each other.

The fact that they are so indescribable.

Kagome felt she had so much more thoughts, she had so much going on in her mind that she just sunk into confusion and sadness.

Kagome had sunken so deep, she didn't realize the person who had stepped behind her and gave her a light nudge.

She was instantly jolted out of her thoughts and she shook her head furiously, although she didn't understand her reasoning for doing so.

A familiar voice reached her ears. "Kagome Kagome."

Kagome just gasped and lifted her head slightly to see that the person was none other than the man of her dreams, the silver-haired hanyou of her desire. She also noted that he had moved to in front of her instead of being behind.

Inuyasha knelt down to her level and eyed her a bit suspiciously. But besides curiosity in his eyes, Kagome took notice of the concern his golden orbs held. There was no way the fearless half demon was worried over her!

Kagome had brought her head up from her knees and stared into his eyes. Her eyes were silently begging him, pleading him to go away, to leave her in her own misery. The hanyou just couldn't comply.

He sat in front of her, the way he usually does. Indian style, cross legged, whatever you want to call it, he sat it. His eyes darted to hers and his almost looked of innocence.

Kagome just sighed and rested her head back down to her roughened knees and she could almost feel the hot tears drip from her eyelashes once more.

"Please Inuyasha …. Please go away." Kagome begged.

Inuyasha just huffed. "Not going to happen."

At this moment, Inuyasha figured she would instantly stand and yell at him in fury and anger and frustration, but she just sat there, depressed and lonely. He couldn't help but die a little inside. What had caused her such pain?

Instantly, Inuyasha reached his hand out to pat her knee. Kagome simply shifted so he would miss and she turned her head the opposite way it had been before.

Inuyasha sighed and stood. Kagome had feared for a moment that he was going to turn and leave, already fed up with her act. But fortunately, he didn't. Instead, Inuyasha had moved to sit right by her and he hesitatingly wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Kagome smiled a bit on the inside and she melted in a way. He was trying to be heartfelt. But even though her insides were happy, she still wasn't. Not in her mind or her heart. She shrugged his arm off and shook her head.

"Kagome … talk to me." He pleaded.

Kagome shook her head furiously.

"Kagome … please … I don't want you to hurt …" He said softly, almost a whisper, making Kagome wonder if he had even said those words at all.

Just those simple words were enough to make her feel guilty for worrying him, so she decided to sit upright and just talk.

Her knees untangled from her arms and the front of her hair was a bit ruffled. Kagome shook it off and turned to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha suddenly turned to her and smiled a bit when he realized that she wasn't in her earlier position, but she was ready to talk, to just say something. He sat still and patiently waited.

Kagome noticed this and stopped for a second. Wait, patience? Inuyasha? The fact that the two were even used in the same sentence was enough to amaze her.

"Inuyasha …. Before you panic … don't be worried …." She said lightly and the right corner of her lip began to cock upwards into a small smile.

"Lately …. I've just been …. A lot of things have been going on …" Kagome took her chance to glance over at him for a second to see that he was still in the same position, and he looked as if he was listening very intently.

"So explain." Was his simple response.

Kagome hesitated to find her voice, the words that should have came bursting out of her mouth. What could she say to him? Surely she could tell him about everything else … but the topic involving him. Yet she knew that she couldn't leave that out and still be happy.

"I've been really stressed lately … Inuyasha …. With school and Naraku, and the sacred jewel … it's almost too much for me …" She had explained softly.

Inuyasha shifted a bit. He was happy that she was sharing with him, but he sensed that that was not the only thing troubling her mind. She had something else to say but he could sense the fear and nervousness that haunted her aura regarding saying whatever it is.

He lifted his arm slowly and wrapped it around her shoulders again. "Kagome … what else?" He asked, almost as if he was dying to know.

Kagome froze for a moment. So he knew … ? No, he just …. Aw hell! She didn't know what she thought she knew anymore. He was just on to the fact that he knew she left something out ….

Kagome shook her head lightly, causing the strands of her ebony hair to brush against Inuyasha's arm softly. "It's nothing …."

Inuyasha grunted and shifted toward her more so that their legs were practically touching. "Kagome I know there's more than what you told me. I can sense it in your aura." He stated.

Kagome silently cursed. Damn! He did know there was more to her. Her mind told her to say something, anything, while her heart was telling her to just tell him. She wouldn't feel better until she had done so … but she couldn't find it inside herself to bring up the topic.

"Kagome -"

"What's wrong with me?" Kagome blurted out suddenly.

"What are you talking about? There isn't anything wrong with you Kagome." Inuyasha stated with a light blush dusting his cheeks.

"Then why don't you love me?" By now, it was as if this whole person snuck into Kagome's body and took over. She couldn't comprehend what she was saying, really.

Inuyasha froze. "…."

Kagome saddened at his silence and stood up. She might as well go to the Sacred Tree and think since he wasn't going to talk to her about what was on her mind. "…. Just don't answer that Inuyasha. I guess I just asked because I had a lot on my mind …." Kagome said before she walked away into the darkened forest.

So Inuyasha sat there, processing what Kagome had just asked. The words were replaying over and over in his mind. She thought that he didn't love her …? Wow, she was dense. Everyone else could see it but her. (A/N: Tehe, Irony …?)

Inuyasha stood and turned to where Kagome had walked away. "I guess I just have to tell her what's on my mind too …" He leapt up for the trees and began for his destination.

--------------------

Kagome sighed as she leaned against the trunk of the massive tree. "Oh Goshinkboku … I am so confusing …." She said just a little above a whisper.

"It's not fair to Inuyasha … I practically faced him with something like a decision …"

Kagome exhaled an intake of air.

"I just …. I die when I see them together … it hurts me more than anything because it just goes to show that I won't have a chance with him … ever."

She began to feel warm tears touch her cheeks. "I love him so much Goshinkboku …. But he can't see it, and I can't show it without the fear of scaring him …"

"So just tell me." A voice called out. Kagome recognized it instantly as the silver haired hanyou.

"Inuyasha …." She said in a whisper. Said man had jumped from his spot in the trees to settle near her. He started at her intently, almost as if he would bore holes into her.

Kagome could feel his gaze upon her so she turned to face him as well. "How much of it did you hear?"

He sighed. "From where you were talking about me and Kikyou together to the end."

Kagome cringed at the thought. "So you heard all of the important parts …"

"Kagome."

She lifted her head so her gaze would be upon him again. Her eyes questioned him. 'What?'

"I know what you're going through."

Kagome huffed. Her face just told him. 'Yea, RIGHT!'

"I am in love with this BEAUTIFUL priestess but I always see her with a wolf or a human man. It always makes me think that I have no chance with her … maybe she doesn't love me I tell myself …"

Kagome gasped. He was describing her …. Or so she thought. "Who is this girl Inuyasha?" She asked suspiciously.

Inuyasha smiled in an instant. "Well, she is so amazing. She has this gorgeous black hair, it goes a but past her shoulders. Her eyes are chocolate, and I melt when I look at them. She walks around in this uniform all the time, and people think she is an enemy, OH! And she has this great smile, it makes my heart smile on the inside and-"

Inuyasha was interrupted when Kagome had leapt onto him and kissed him passionately.

Inuyasha smiled in the kiss and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. She took this chance to link her arms around his neck and smile against the kiss as well.

Eventually, they both gasped for air and panted lightly.

Kagome blushed fiercely, and Inuyasha just smirked.

"So uh …."

"I love you Kagome." He just said.

Kagome gasped lightly and tears welled from her eyes. Inuyasha smelt the salt from her tears immediately and panicked.

"No Kagome! Don't cry! I mean it …."

Kagome slapped him on his head gently.

"No silly, I'm crying because I'm happy … I love you too."

Inuyasha smiled brightly and kissed her on her cheeks, then on her forehead.

But Kagome's smile faltered and she pulled away from him.

"But what about Kikyou? …." She said waveringly.

"What about her?"

"I …. uh … Well …. Don't you love her …. ?"

"Well it seems I don't. If I did, I wouldn't tell you I loved you Kagome."

"…. you'll still go to her, right?"

Inuyasha sighed and hugged her close.

"No, I won't. I love you and only you, Kagome …."

Kagome smiled and snuggled closer to his chest.

"Yea …. Me too …. I love you Inuyasha …. And only you …"

"What about Kouga and that Hobo guy?"

"What about them?" She seemed to mock.

"Didn't you have some sort of feelings for them?"

"No …. because I've always loved you …. Inuyasha …."

Inuyasha smiled triumphantly. 'Take that, retarded wolf!'

And for that moment, everything seemed to be okay for Kagome. I mean, she still had to defeat Naraku, find the jewel shards, and stress about school … but hey, at least she got the part about Inuyasha sorted out!


End file.
